This is not an official news source for CineForm or GoPro product releases, just some bits and pieces of stuff I happen to be working on. My work and hobbies are pretty much the same thing. -- David Newman

Tuesday, October 16, 2012

If you are reading here and you don't yet know about Protune, read this entry first : Protune

Here are some images that should speak for themselves. This wide dynamic range scene, outside lighting to the right (frosted glass windows,) indoor shadows in the back left, showcases the improvements the Protune curve offers for color correction:

Stock mode converted within CineForm Studio (Premium version of Studio added the waveform.)

Protune mode automatically corrected when converted in
CineForm Studio to be similar to stock
(check out those improve highlights.)

Stock mode with contrast reduced in Studio to show the
dynamic range limitations.

Great stuff, I'm shooting with it now in T+C for my new feature film. HOWEVER, I'm a bit perplexed by the lack of an exposure lock. If the exposure is always bumping this way and that (stepped because it's digital not analogue) there's no real way to use the footage in professional post production unless you get lucky for a few moments of the exposure not bumping.

So, am I missing something or is all this work on pro tune lost time without an exposure lock? Thanks for your input. Carl.

Exposure lock would be nice for some situations, and it is something we are considering. However, the camera's auto exposure is heavily damped, you should not see any "digital" like switching of exposure. The camera are used in huge quantities on professional productions. So short of doing an indoor to outdoor lighting change your colorist shouldn't be fighting with exposure changes. Also as Protune extended the dynamic range, any small exposure changes are much easier to handle.

I'm noticing it in slow-motion (120fps) shooting in high-contrast situations where the exposure bumps once the video is played back at 24fps. A big reason why I'm shooting with this camera is its ability to shoot slow motion. That would be a nice application of an exposure lock--not just in time lapse as it is now. Wish I had a 'hack' to make it so today...off I go filming...Carl.

The preset for Protune adds sharpness and the correction LUT so that contrast is restored. If you apply the Protune correction to standard mode video it will likely be over sharpened and very contrasty -- you don't want that. Shooting Protune is to improve your dynamic range and have higher compression quality, you can't get either of these back with any filter in post.

Is protune working of photos in gopro 3+ black edition?I see differents when I shot film but I don't see anything when i shoot photo. Can you explain me how to use protune flat option for a photo. I want make better timelapse from photo. Is it possible to improve photo like a video form protune options?